Ask NYT Climate
You need to weigh your budget, but it does have benefits. Including some that are not obvious.
In 2022, organics accounted for 15 percent of all fruit and vegetable sales in the United States despite being far pricier than conventional produce.
But with today’s high grocery bills, even some committed organic shoppers are agonizing over which blueberries to buy and wondering: Is organic really worth the cost?
Here are some facts to help you figure out what’s right for you and your budget.
First, what does ‘certified organic’ mean?
Unlike the terms “natural” or “sustainable,” the Department of Agriculture’s organic seal is highly regulated (though not entirely fraud-proof).
When you see the USDA Organic sticker on a banana, you can generally assume it has been grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms and most synthetic pesticides. Its production may have involved organic farming techniques, such as rotating crops and planting cover crops, too.
It’s worth noting that not all organic farmers have the time, money or desire to pursue official certification. You can always ask at a farmers market how the food was grown.
Is organic produce better for the climate?
At first glance, organic farming seems like a clear climate win because it doesn’t use synthetic fertilizers, which require lots of energy, and thus lots of fossil fuels, to produce. (Both synthetic and natural fertilizers also release nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, after application.)
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